Pasco jury convicts man of beating, terrorizing ex-wife

NEW PORT RICHEY — Roy "Dave" Kinard controlled and abused his wife for years, even after they were divorced. He beat her, humiliated her and manipulated her. Many times, he told her he'd kill her, she said.

That all ended Wednesday, when a jury convicted Kinard of armed burglary, kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated battery with a firearm. Authorities say Kinard tied up Melony Malone, pistol-whipped her and held her at knifepoint.

Kinard, 46, faces life in prison when he is sentenced later this summer.

Prosecutors said he forced his way into Malone's house the morning of May 2, 2009, after she had kicked him out. In a seven-hour siege, he terrorized Malone, along with her son's girlfriend and the girlfriend's 2-year-old son.

Malone, who had been abused by Kinard in the past, was reluctant to report the incident to authorities. After she did, she changed her story when Kinard repeatedly called her from the jail and begged her to say he didn't have a gun and hadn't hurt her.

"He knew exactly what buttons to push to terrorize her, and that's what he did," Assistant State Attorney Chris Sprowls said.

Defense attorney Jorge Angulo argued that Malone was the real manipulator, who made up the story about Kinard kidnapping her to cover up what she had done: stabbed him in the chest.

Malone acknowledged that while Kinard was passed out in a stupor from drugs that day, she had her son's girlfriend get a knife from the kitchen so she could stab Kinard and the two could get away. He woke up as the knife pierced his skin.

Malone was the state's star witness in the trial this week, but she did not want to testify against Kinard, saying she still loved him.

As he was led away in handcuffs, he waved to her. She waved back.

Molly Moorhead can be reached at moorhead@sptimes.com or on Twitter at @mmoorheadtimes.